Legislative History 1979-2005

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Legislative History 1979-2005 Legislative History 1979-2005 • Texas Medicaid Rule Change – Changed 1979 • First law recognizing Physician Assistants in Texas 1998 supervision language to model Texas statute on PA supervision • Creation of Physician Assistant Advisory • SB 1131 – Changes to PA Practice 1981 Committee to the Texas State Board of 1999 ✔ Expanded hospital requirement to provide Medical Examiners policies on procedural rights in the credentialing of PAs ✔ Insurance code modified to recognize PAs as selected health care practitioners & statutory • HB 18 – Omnibus Health Care Rescue Act law forbidding discrimination in recognizing PAs 1989 ✔ Enabled PAs to work under direct supervision ✔ Allowed health care organizations the ability to of a physician develop reimbursement methodology for PAs H Rep. Mike McKinney & Sen. Chet Brooks ✔ Statutory language to allow individuals to call in prescriptions on behalf of the PA H Sen. Frank Madla & Rep. Jaime Capelo 1991 • Texas PAs are recognized by statute as Registered Health Care Professionals 2000 • PAs recognized to sign UIL physicals • HB 2498 – Physician Assistant Licensing Act 1993 ✔ Creates PA advisory council • SB 1166 – Alternate Site Requirements ✔ Established licensure for PAs 2001 ✔ Allowing PAs to be able to prescribe outside the ✔ Establishes supervision requirements primary practice site. ✔ Created the Rural PA Loan Reimbursement H Sen. Frank Madla & Rep. Jaime Capelo Program H Rep. Hugo Berlanga & Sen. Steve Carriker • SB 1264 – Scope of Practice of a PA acting in a Delegated Practice ✔ Agent language added, designating the PA as the agent of the physician • First PA license issued. Dwight Deter H Sen. Tom Haywood & Rep. David Farabee 1994 License # PA00001 • HB 1095 – Scheduled Prescriptive Authority 2003 ✔ Prescription authority expanded to include • SB 673 – Delegation of Prescriptive Authority Schedules III - V 1995 to PAs (dangerous drugs only) H Rep. Jaime Capelo & Sen. Jane Nelson ✔ PAs to declare death ✔ Sign for sample ✔ Prescriptive authority delegation limited to 3 ✔ Primary Practice Site defined • SB 419 (Sunset Bill) – Authorized the H Sen. Frank Madla & Rep. Hugo Berlanga 2005 continuation of the Texas State Board of PA Examiners • SB 1302 – Regulation of PA Practice H Sen. Jane Nelson & Rep. Burt Solomons ✔ Creation of Texas State Board of PA Examiners ✔ Required NCCPA certification for licensure • HB 1577 – Utilization of PAs in a declared ✔ TSBPAE given the ability to impose a disaster, provides immunity to PAs in that rehabilitation order setting H Sen. David Cain & Rep. Hugo Berlanga H Rep. Joe Nixon & Sen. Kyle Janek • SB 1984 – Handicap Placard Legislative History 2009 ✔ First time PAs can write for prescription handicap placards, rural counties only H Sen. Carlos Uresti & Rep. Tracy King 2009-2017 • SB 532 – Prescriptive Authority Changes ✔ Refills to 90 days ✔ Delegation from 3 to 4 PAs ✔ Waivers for mileage, supervision, & on-site requirements H Sen. Dan Patrick & Rep. Garnet Coleman 2017 • HB 1978 – Volunteerism for PAs ✔ Allow PAs to volunteer their services at any public • SB 292 – Texas Physician Health Plan or private events ✔ Better way to monitor impaired physicians and PAs H Rep. JD Sheffield, DO & Sen. Dawn Buckingham, MD H Sen. Jane Nelson & Rep. Susan King • HB 2546 – Worker’s Compensation ✔ Allows physicians and PAs now to fill out and sign • HB 2080 – Handicap Placards in all Settings the work status report, DWC – 073 2011 H Sen. Carlos Uresti & Rep. Tracy King H Rep. John Zerwas, MD & Sen. Donna Campbell, MD • HB 2098 – Allows PAs to form partnership/ • SB 1625 – Whistleblower Law and More corporation/professional association and/or limited ✔ liability companies with their physician Whistleblower: makes it illegal to terminate a PA who refuses to commit or omit an action that the H Rep. John Davis & Sen. Dan Patrick PA knows would be reportable to the Texas PA • HB 1720 – Allows Prescribing of Private Duty Nursing/ Board and this protection may not be nullified by PT/OT & Speech Therapy when delegated by a contract physician ✔ QA Meeting Revisions: simplifies quality H Rep. John Davis & Sen. Dan Patrick assurance meetings for PAs only by allowing the • HB 2703 – Allows Physicians to delegate authority of physician and PA to determine in what manner PAs to prescribe the fabrication, adjustment & fitting the QA meetings will be held, face-to-face of prosthetics & orthotics meetings no longer required for PAs ✔ Medicaid and private insurance H Sen. Carlos Uresti & Rep. Phil Cortez H Rep. Vicki Truit & Sen. Carlos Uresti ✔ Sunset Issues 1. ISC hearings held by the Texas PA Board requires • SB 406 – Expansion of Delegated Prescriptive a PA board member to be present at the hearing 2013 Authority & Site based reform 2. Texas PA Board may go into Executive Session ✔ Schedule II delegation for disciplinary or licensure matters regarding ✔ Delegation from 4 to 7 PAs specific licensees to protect the confidentiality of ✔ Unlimited delegation in hospitals the licensee H Sen. Jane Nelson & Rep. Lois Kolkhorst 3. Removing the requirement that applicants be of “Good Moral Character” • 22 TAC 185.16 – Removal of Supervision Limit for PAs 4. PA license will now be valid for a minimum of two 2014 ✔ TPAB removes limit in rules on number of PAs years that a physician may supervise 5. Allows the board to deny renewal applications ✔ No limit on number of PAs that a physician 6. Created a training manual for all PA board may supervise members involving the scope of, and limitations on, the board’s rule making authority 7. Authorizing fingerprinting for a licensure • SB 622 – Expansion of the Texas PA Board (TPAB) and background check 2015 requires Chair to be a licensed PA 8. PA licenses must be processed within 51-days ✔ Adds 4 PAs to TPAB after the PA’s application is complete ✔ Creates PA majority on TPAB ✔ Requires appointment of PA to Chair the TPAB • SB 919 – Signing of Death Certificates H Sen. Carlos Uresti & Rep. Jodie Laubenberg ✔ Allows a PA to sign the death certificate of a patient who was under hospice care or palliative • HB 1874 – Palliative Care Interdisciplinary Advisory care Council H Sen. Jose Rodriguez & Rep. Garnet Coleman ✔ PAs named to Council H Rep. John Zerwas, MD & Sen. Joan Huffman • SB 1107 – Telemedicine • SB 202 – Transferred Radiation Jurisdiction ✔ Created new expansive laws for the use of over PAs to the Texas PA Board telemedicine and includes PAs as participating ✔ Removed jurisdiction of PA radiation education and providers training from DSHS and placed with TPAB H Sen. Charles Schwertner, MD & Rep. Four Price H Sen. Jane Nelson & Rep. Four Price • SB 195 – Eliminated Texas Controlled Substance Registration requirement for PAs H Sen. Charles Schwertner, MD & Rep. Myra Crownover.
Recommended publications
  • Joint Report Regarding Institutions' Implementation
    TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM" November 12, 2020 Hon. Greg Abbott Hon. Dan Patrick Hon. Dennis Bonnen Governor Lieutenant Governor Speaker of the House clo Brady Franks cl o Marian Wallace clo Andrea Sheridan brady. franks@gov. texas. gov marian. wallace@ltgov. texas. gov andrea.sheridan@speaker. texas. gov Hon. Bryan Hughes Hon. Brandon Creighton Hon. Joan Huffman State Senator, District 1 State Senator, District 4 State Senator, District 1 7 clo Drew Tedford clo Joel Resendez clo Sean Opperman drew. [email protected]. gov joel .resendez [email protected]. gov [email protected] Hon. Chris Turner Hon. Charlie Geren State Representative, District 101 State Representative, District 99 clo Julie Young clo Peyton Spreen julie.young [email protected] [email protected] Re: Report regarding implementation of the requirements of Senate Bill 18 (2019) on behalf of Texas Tech University, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Angelo State University, and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Dear Governor Abbott, Lt. Governor Patrick, Speaker Bonnen, and Members of the Texas Senate and House, On June 10, 2019, Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 18, an act relating to the protection of expressive activities at public institutions of higher education ("SB 18"). This act amended the Texas Education Code to add Section 51.9315, which in part requires each Texas public institution of higher education to "submit to the governor and the members of the legislature a report regarding the institution's implementation of the requirements" of SB 18. The four component institutions of the Texas Tech University System ("TTUS") worked collaboratively and with the TTUS Office of General Counsel to implement the requirements of SB 18.
    [Show full text]
  • 2012 Political Contributions
    2012 POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS 2012 Lilly Political Contributions 2 Public Policy As a biopharmaceutical company that treats serious diseases, Lilly plays an important role in public health and its related policy debates. It is important that our company shapes global public policy debates on issues specific to the people we serve and to our other key stakeholders including shareholders and employees. Our engagement in the political arena helps address the most pressing issues related to ensuring that patients have access to needed medications—leading to improved patient outcomes. Through public policy engagement, we provide a way for all of our locations globally to shape the public policy environment in a manner that supports access to innovative medicines. We engage on issues specific to local business environments (corporate tax, for example). Based on our company’s strategy and the most recent trends in the policy environment, our company has decided to focus on three key areas: innovation, health care delivery, and pricing and reimbursement. More detailed information on key issues can be found in our 2011/12 Corporate Responsibility update: http://www.lilly.com/Documents/Lilly_2011_2012_CRupdate.pdf Through our policy research, development, and stakeholder dialogue activities, Lilly develops positions and advocates on these key issues. U.S. Political Engagement Government actions such as price controls, pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates, and access to Lilly medicines affect our ability to invest in innovation. Lilly has a comprehensive government relations operation to have a voice in the public policymaking process at the federal, state, and local levels. Lilly is committed to participating in the political process as a responsible corporate citizen to help inform the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Senate Criminal Justice Committee (84Th)
    2904 Floyd, Suite A | Dallas, TX 74204 | 214-442-1672 | www.texprotects.org Senate Criminal Justice Committee (84th) Clerk: Jessie Cox Phone: 512-463-0345 Room: SBH 470 Name Party Room Number Phone Number (top is Other Committees capitol number and bottom is district number) Chair Sen. John D CAP 1E.13 (512)-463-0115 Business & Commerce; Whitmire (Houston) (713)-864-8701 Finance Vice Chair Sen. Joan R CAP 1E.15 (512)-463-0117 Finance; State Affairs (Vice Huffman (Houston) (218)-980-3500 Chair) Sen. Konnie Burton R CAP GE.7 (512)-463-0110 Higher Education; Nominations; Veteran Affairs & Military Installations (Vice Chair) Sen. Brandon R EXT E1.606 (512)-463-0104 Agriculture, Water & Rural Creighton Affairs; Business & Commerce (Vice Chair); State Affairs Sen. Juan Hinojosa D CAP 3E.10 (512)-463-0120 Agriculture, Water & Rural (McAllen) (956)-972-1841 Affairs; Finance (Vice Chair); Natural Resources & Economic Development Sen. Charles Perry R EXT E1.810 (512)-463-0128 Agriculture, Water & Rural (Lubbock) (806)-783-9934 Affairs (Chair); Health & Human Services; Higher Education Sen. Leticia Van de D CAP 3S.3 (512)-463-0126 Higher Education; Putte (San Antonio) (210)-733-6604 Intergovernmental Relations Senate Education Committee (84th) Clerk: Holly Mabry McCoy Phone: 512-463-0355 Room: SBH 440 Name Party Room Number Phone Number Other Committees Sen. Larry Taylor R CAP GE.5 512-463-0111 Business & Commerce; Finance; (Pearland) 281-485-9800 Intergovernmental Relations Vice Chair Sen. Eddie D CAP 3S.5 512-463-0127 Intergovernmental Relations Lucio, Jr (Brownsville) 956-548-0227 (Chair); Natural Resources & Economic Development; Veteran Affairs & Military Installations; Veteran Affairs & Military Installations-S/C Border Security Sen.
    [Show full text]
  • IDEOLOGY and PARTISANSHIP in the 87Th (2021) REGULAR SESSION of the TEXAS LEGISLATURE
    IDEOLOGY AND PARTISANSHIP IN THE 87th (2021) REGULAR SESSION OF THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE Mark P. Jones, Ph.D. Fellow in Political Science, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy July 2021 © 2021 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy This material may be quoted or reproduced without prior permission, provided appropriate credit is given to the author and the Baker Institute for Public Policy. Wherever feasible, papers are reviewed by outside experts before they are released. However, the research and views expressed in this paper are those of the individual researcher(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Baker Institute. Mark P. Jones, Ph.D. “Ideology and Partisanship in the 87th (2021) Regular Session of the Texas Legislature” https://doi.org/10.25613/HP57-BF70 Ideology and Partisanship in the 87th (2021) Regular Session of the Texas Legislature Executive Summary This report utilizes roll call vote data to improve our understanding of the ideological and partisan dynamics of the Texas Legislature’s 87th regular session. The first section examines the location of the members of the Texas Senate and of the Texas House on the liberal-conservative dimension along which legislative politics takes place in Austin. In both chambers, every Republican is more conservative than every Democrat and every Democrat is more liberal than every Republican. There does, however, exist substantial ideological diversity within the respective Democratic and Republican delegations in each chamber. The second section explores the extent to which each senator and each representative was on the winning side of the non-lopsided final passage votes (FPVs) on which they voted.
    [Show full text]
  • September 2019
    SEPTEMBER 2019 SEPTEMBER 2019 IN THIS ISSUE Leadership Matters Leadership Matters . 1 Meeting Texas’ Challenges Head On . 2 The 86th Legislature passed a wide array of meaningful civil jus- An Active, Productive Session tice bills, making it a landmark session for TLR initiatives. More for Civil Justice . 3 broadly, this session was one of the most successful in a decade in Strong Legislative Leaders Produce producing consensus improvements in public education, property a Successful Session . 4 tax relief and health care, all with bipartisan participation and support. The election of 2019’s Dynamic Civil Justice Agenda . 7 a seasoned legislator, Dennis Bonnen, as the new speaker of the Texas House created an Consensus Building is the Heart of TLR’s Legislative Advocacy . 11 opportunity for collaboration that Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick seized. Going to the Dogs . 12 Their coordinated leadership, combined with the hard work of legislators of both par- ties in both chambers, yielded stunning results for the state. OUR MISSION In Texas, the minority party is respected by the majority party and is a full partici- Texans for Lawsuit Reform is pant in the legislative process. Even though Republicans hold every statewide elected a volunteer-led organization office and have majorities in the House and Senate, Democrats hold meaningful com- working to restore fairness mittee assignments, including chairmanships, and author or joint-author significant and balance to our civil legislation. Lt. Gov. Patrick regularly points out that of the 1,641 bills and resolutions justice system through politi- passed by the Senate in the 85th Legislature (2017), only 23 (1.4 percent) were passed cal action, legal, academic without Democrat votes.
    [Show full text]
  • Concerned Women for America of Texas SCORE CARD for the 84TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION
    Concerned Women for America of Texas SCORE CARD FOR THE 84TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION Before the session began, CWA leaders, in conversations with House and Senate leaders, expressed their desire to see family friendly legislation passed. The priorities at that time were: The Religious Liberty Amendment Taxpayer Savings Grants American Law for American Courts Strengthening Judicial By-Pass Requirements Strengthening End-of-Life Conditions UIL Homeschool Inclusion Subsequent to the opening of the session, CWA created a list of over 200 filed bills and placed them on a "Watch List." Of those it became apparent that several were of critical importance. Protecting Texas Marriage Laws Protecting Pastors Religious Freedom Protecting Adoption Agencies Religious Freedom Protecting Cities and Counties from Rogue Ordinances Protecting minors from coerced abortions This is a brief summary of the actions on those issues. CWA of Texas was actively engaged in the legislative process with each of these pieces of legislation: 1. SJR 10 and HJR 125, The Religious Liberty Amendment to the Texas Constitution. This bill would have required no signature from the Governor but ratification of the people of Texas in the fall election. The purpose of the bill was to put into our Texas constitution the essence of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act passed by the legislature in 1999 and signed by then Gov. Bush which reiterated the rights of the people to express their sincerely-held, religious beliefs in any venue where secular beliefs are expressed. In today’s contentious society, Christians are finding themselves persecuted and silenced for following the dictates of their conscience.
    [Show full text]
  • On Judicial Selection
    TEXAS COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL SELECTION CHAIR: Mr. David J. Beck Texas Commission on Judicial Selection Meeting Minutes LEGISLATIVE MEMBERS: Date: June 5, 2020 Senator Brian Birdwell Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa Convene: 9:30 AM Senator Joan Huffman Senator Robert Nichols Attendance: Megan LaVoie Representative Todd Hunter Representative Brooks Landgraf Members in Attendance Representative Ina Minjarez Mr. David Beck Representative Carl Sherman Sen. Brian Birdwell Sen Robert Nichols CITIZEN MEMBERS: Sen. Joan Huffman Mr. Charles “Chip” Babcock, IV Sen. Juan Hinojosa Hon. Martha Hill Jamison (Ret.) Rep. Todd Hunter Hon. Wallace Jefferson (Ret.) Ms. Lynne Liberato Rep. Brooks Landgraf Mr. David Oliveira Rep. Ina Minjarez Hon. Thomas Phillips (Ret.) Rep. Carl Sherman Mr. Charles Babcock www.txcourts.gov/tcjs Ms. Martha Hill Jamison Mr. Wallace Jefferson Ms. Lynne Liberato Mr. David Oliveira Mr. Thomas Phillips Minutes from Previous Meeting The March 6, 2020 meeting minutes were approved as presented. Invited Testimony Julie Lowenberg testified on behalf and of the League of Women Voters of Texas. The League of Women Voters supports an effective, independent, qualified, and inclusive judiciary and calls for selection of judges in the following manner: • Nomination by a diverse, representative, nonpartisan commission, with appointment for a specific term or appointment by the governor for a specific term. • Judges should be subject to retention or rejection in an unlimited number of periodic nonpartisan elections. • This selection method should apply to the Texas Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals and Courts of Appeals. • Selection of state district court judges may be by non-partisan election or by appointment/retention. • Judicial campaigns should be funded with public money.
    [Show full text]
  • OPEN GOVERNMENT / NEWSROOM-RELATED BILLS 83 Texas
    PASSED: OPEN GOVERNMENT / NEWSROOM‐RELATED BILLS 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session Status as of 5/28 in Italics Awaiting Governor’s Action HB 16 – State Agency Internal Audits By Rep. Dan Flynn, R‐Van Texas state agencies currently are required to make financial statements public. HB 16 says internal audits of state agencies should also be public information and requires state government to post them on the agency's website. On Governor’s desk. HB 31 – Universities / TOMA / TPIA By Rep. Dan Branch, R‐Dallas Requires university boards of regents and university systems to post the agenda and meeting materials in advance of Internet meetings as allowed by the Texas Open Meetings Act. However, written materials that the general counsel or other appropriate attorney for the institution or university system certifies as confidential, or that may already be withheld from public disclosure, do not have to be posted. On Governor’s desk. HB 195 – Political Contribution Reports By Rep. Joe Farias, D‐San Antonio Requires the political contribution reports filed by county and city office holders to be posted on those entities’ websites. It's bracketed to apply only to cities and counties with populations more than 500,000. This bill was filed in the last session and made it across to the Senate only to die in the Senate State Affairs Committee. On Governor’s desk. HB 343 – School Boards / Financial Statements By Rep. Marisa Marquez, D‐El Paso Requires school board members, in districts in counties of 800,000 residents or larger, to file financial disclosure statements with the Texas Ethics Commission.
    [Show full text]
  • PASSED OR VETOED OPEN GOVERNMENT / NEWSROOM-RELATED BILLS 83 Texas Legislature, Regular Session
    PASSED OR VETOED OPEN GOVERNMENT / NEWSROOM‐RELATED BILLS 83rd Texas Legislature, Regular Session Legislation That Positively Affects Newsrooms HB 13 – State Pension Review Board By Rep. Bill Callegari, R‐Katy Increases transparency by amending the Government Code to require public retirement systems to post annual financial reports on its public website, as well as establish policies for ethics and conflicts of interest for voluntary use by any public pension plan. In addition, the bill requires the State Pension Review Board to develop a model ethical standards and conflict‐of‐ interest policy for voluntary use by public retirement systems. Effective 5/24. HB 16 – State Agency Internal Audits By Rep. Dan Flynn, R‐Van Texas state agencies currently are required to make financial statements public. HB 16 says internal audits of state agencies should also be public information and requires state government to post them on the agency's website. Effective 6/14. HB 31 – Universities / TOMA / TPIA By Rep. Dan Branch, R‐Dallas Requires university boards of regents and university systems to post the agenda and meeting materials in advance of Internet meetings as allowed by the Texas Open Meetings Act. However, written materials that the general counsel or other appropriate attorney for the institution or university system certifies as confidential, or that may already be withheld from public disclosure, do not have to be posted. Effective 6/14. HB 195 – Political Contribution Reports By Rep. Joe Farias, D‐San Antonio Requires the political contribution reports filed by county and city office holders to be posted on those entities’ websites.
    [Show full text]
  • Sunset Advisory Commission
    SUNSET ADVISORY COMMISSION STAFF REPORT WITH COMMISSION DECISIONS Texas Department of Criminal Justice Correctional Managed Health Care Committee Windham School District Board of Pardons and Paroles SEPTEMBER 2012 Sunset Advisory Commission Representative Dennis Bonnen Chair Senator Robert Nichols Vice Chair Representative Rafael Anchia Senator Brian Birdwell Representative Byron Cook Senator Joan Huffman Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr. Senator Dan Patrick Representative Four Price Senator John Whitmire Casandra Ortiz Jan Newton Ken Levine Director Cover photo: The Texas Capitol is a marvel of craftsmanship down to the smallest details. The beautifully carved wood door frames are emphasized with elaborate, custom-designed bronze hinges and hardware produced especially for the building by Sargent and Co. of New Haven, Connecticut, in the late 1880s. The eight inch by eight inch hinges are inscribed with the words “Texas Capitol”, decorated with incised designs of geometric and stylized floral motifs, and weigh over seven pounds each. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE CORRECTIONAL MANAGED HEALTH CARE COMMITTEE WINDHAM SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF PARDONS AND PAROLES SUNSET STAFF REPORT WITH COMMISSION DECISIONS SEPTEMBER 2012 This document is intended to compile all recommendations and action taken by the Sunset Advisory Commission for an agency under Sunset review. The following explains how the document is expanded and reissued to include responses from agency staff and the public. l Sunset Staff Report, May 2012 – Sunset staff develops a separate report on each individual agency, or on a group of related agencies. Each report contains both statutory and management recommendations developed after the staff ’s extensive evaluation of the agency. l Sunset Staff Report with Hearing Material, May 2012 – Adds responses from agency staff and the public to Sunset staff recommendations, as well as new issues raised for consideration by the Sunset Commission at its public hearing.
    [Show full text]
  • The 86Th Legislature Regular Session
    th The 86 Legislature Regular Session Cumulative Report The Texas A&M University System August 2019 Table of Contents Overview of the 86th Legislative Session…………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Appropriations / Riders………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 26 Bill Facts…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 51 TAMUS Institution-Specific Legislation……………………………………………………………………………………………. 52 Overview of Key Higher Education Legislation………………………………………………………………………………… 63 Disaster Response, Recovery, and Emergency Management: GCRT & TDEM………..……………….………… 94 Bills with Reporting Requirement…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 110 Other Bills of Interest………………….………………………………………………….……………………………………………..112 Bill Analysis Task Force…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 126 State Relations……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………... 127 Page 1 TAMUS Office of State Relations THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK Page 2 TAMUS Office of State Relations Overview of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session Shortly after the conclusion of the 2017 legislative session, Speaker of the House of Representatives Joe Straus announced his retirement. He served a record-tying five terms as Speaker and was considered an even-handed moderate. His final session was marked by a difficult relationship between the House and Senate, and particularly with Lieutenant Governor Patrick. Speaker Straus’s retirement created an open race for the Speakership of the Texas House for the first time since 1993, and several House members began throwing
    [Show full text]
  • MINUTES SENATE COMMITTEE on STATE AFFAIRS Tuesday
    MINUTES SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE AFFAIRS Tuesday, December 8, 2020 1:00 PM Capitol Extension, Room E1.016 ***** Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on State Affairs was held on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, in the Capitol Extension, Room E1.016, at Austin, Texas. ***** MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator Bryan Hughes, Chair Senator Joan Huffman Senator Brian Birdwell Senator Judith Zaffirini Senator Brandon Creighton Senator Pat Fallon Senator Bob Hall Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. Senator Jane Nelson ***** The chair called the meeting to order at 1:01 PM. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted: The Chair called invited witnesses to testify on the following interim charges: Taxpayer Lobbying: Study how governmental entitles use public funds for political lobbying purposes. Examine what types of governmental entities use public funds for lobbying purposes. Make recommendations to protect taxpayers from paying for lobbyists who may not represent the taxpayers' interest. Protecting the Unborn: Study and recommend ways Texas can further protect the lives of the unborn, including fetal heartbeat legislation and any other law or regulation that protects life. Senate Committee on State Affairs Minutes Tuesday, December 8, 2020 Page 2 Witnesses testifying and registering on the charges are shown on the attached list. There being no further business, at 3:28 PM Senator Hughes moved that the Committee stand recessed subject to the call of the chair. Without objection, it was so ordered. __________________________________________ Senator Bryan Hughes, Chair __________________________________________ Courtney Smith, Clerk .
    [Show full text]